The Albanese government has escalated trade defences by quietly imposing a series of tariffs on Chinese steel exports, a move that threatens to fracture the fragile trade detente between Canberra and Beijing.
Following exhaustive reviews by the Anti-Dumping Commission, Industry Minister Tim Ayres confirmed a new 10% levy on Chinese ceiling frames, citing evidence of unfair government subsidies that undercut Australian manufacturers.
The latest measure bolsters a growing "tariff wall," joining interim duties of up to 113% placed on products like bolts and hot-rolled coil steel.
While Canberra frames the intervention as a necessary shield against global overcapacity and "dumping"—the practice of offloading excess stock at artificially low prices—Beijing has issued a sharp rebuke.